Improved railway-switch



Y iaitrd gita-teaem' amm.

MELVIN- J. eAsKLLL, WILLIAM Yosr, AND JOHN nanars, or PLEASANT PLAIN, OHIO.

Latas Parma No. 98,051, dated Decemba 21, 1869,

The Schedule referred to .in these Letters Patent and making part'of the same To all lwhom 'it may concern Be it known that we, Mn'Lvlx J. GAsKtLL, WIL- LrALr YosT, and J onu Fnunrs, of Pleasant Plain, in the county of Warren, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and improved Method of Adjusting RailwaySwitches; and we hereby declare the following to be a full' and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification.

The nature of our invention consists in a cheap and easy mode of shifting the switches in railroadsA by the y motion of the cars..

To enable others skilled in the business to make lshaft outside the box, a perpendicular shaft, F, vwith a screwthread, G, near the lower end, connecting with the arm E, and a hand-wheel, H, at the top, by which the lugs are operated, with an index, I, on its upper side..

Figure 3 represents a railroad, with a switch inv working order.

lhe levers 0 O are fastened down in their places, on pivots M, far enough from the switch in either direction to' allow it to be shifted before any weight from the moving train presses upon it.

These levers may be connected to the switch by any form of coupling, l 1 that will communicate the motion ofthe lever to the switch. The iron box A, with its adjustable lugs B, is made I fast to any part of the cars or locomotive that may be desired, provided it is the proper height from the track, and is convenient for being worked eiectually by a man onthe moving train.

When -the cars are in motion, if we wish to keep the main track, wekeep the index Ion the handwheel H, pointing .directly forward. v

The lugs B B will then be on a level, and will touch only the upper plane L, on the sides of the levers O, holding them straight in the centre of the track, and keeping,r the railway-switches in their proper places for the main road.

When it is desirable to turn offou right or left-hand tracks, we turn the hand-wheel H until the index points across the road to the right or left, as we wish to o.

ne of 'the lugs will then drop down, so as tost-rike the lower plane. K, in the lever O, and press it over while the other lug will be raised up to allow the upper plane, L, to pass under it. i

The motion thus'communicated to the levers by the lugs will be imparted tothe switch, through the couplings P F and their connections, causing the switch to adjust itself to any other track we may select.

In practice it may be necessary to form a neutral position for the lugs under the cars, by having them more elevated than on' locomotives, but Vthe method of operating will be the same as described.

lVe do not claim the switch; but

What we do claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the lugs B, cross-beams G, shaft D, arm E, perpendicular shaft F, screw G, hand-wheel H, andY index I, all constructed and operated as and for the purpose described. l

- MELVIN J. GASKILL.A

JOHN FERRIS.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. HILL, SARAH HLL. 

